Say: az-muh flare-up
A person who has asthma may go through times when he or she breathes just fine or has only a little trouble. But when a person has a lot of trouble with wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath, it's called an asthma flare-up, or attack. Stuff like allergies, a cold, cigarette smoke, exercise, or even cold air can trigger an asthma flare-up.